Shock-absorber



W. M. McDOWELL.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPUCATION FILED NOV. 6. 1919.

Patenmd Oct. 5, 1920.

UNITED STATE S-"PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIE m. MoDOWEl'lT or racoMA, WAsHINer'on.

snocir-nnsomsnn';

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6; 1919. Serial No. 336,128.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIE M. McDow ELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates,-residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of VVashinn,-have invented certaimnew and useful mprovements in Shock-Absorbers,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shock absorbers especially:adaptedifor use in connection with t 'efront springs of a motor vehicleand providedwwithnmvel means to permit of the longitudinal elite-nsion'and vertical movementofcthe, elliptical springs when the front wheelsofithelvehicle encounter aninequality. in the road. ,2511":

A further ob'ect of the invention isi-to provide a shocir absorber whichmay she readily applied to a motor vehicle without any alteration in theconstrxictionmf-the vehicle. i r L A further object of-the invention isto provide .a shock absorber of the class described which is eificient,a of highly simplified construction and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages 'be apparent during the course oftheifollowing description. r we:

In theaccompanying drawing fomningiva part of this application.andqinqzwhich hke" numerals are employed 3130 idesignate like partsthroughoutthe same: 531-1 Figure 1 is a fragmentary side :elevation of avehicle having the improvedfilwi k absorber applied; i a y is- Fig. 2 isa perspective of tlie improved shock absorber detached; P. a

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the shock absorber having a slightlymodified formof attaching means.

In the drawing wherein for the; purpose of illustration is shown severalpreferred embodiments of the invention, the numeral 5 generallydesignates a motor vehicle having a chassis 6. The chassis 6 is providedwith longitudinally extending side bars 7 having their forward endportions 8 extended downwardly and connected to semi-ellip- -intermediate portion of the sem spring 9 is moiihted on:thefrontalxle 13'andaxle clips.14.1-: ll.

tical leaf springs through the medium of reamed ea; 5, i920.

spring bolts 10. A The elliptical spring 9 in-.

, eludes superposed leaves; 111': connected by spring clips 12. K Asillustrated in Fi l,the

' iptical is secureddio the same by apair ofI u-shaped ,iilllh' UV/l!v1! The invention herein disolosedfincludes a shock absorber 151;formedlfroz n aas'length of highly tempered sprin rmetal bowed intermediateitsiends asi in icateduat 16 fiohprovide upper and lower arms IT-andilfignr'espectively. -The,forward endnportioir of'the upper armilfi isbifurcated'gtoiprovide af ir of attaching cars :19 which :aslillustratein 2 are provided/withaline :openings' ior apertures '20 adapted-liqreceive agpivom bolt 21 of a-rbraclrct 22.:- The ear s 19lofizth upperarm 17 Eareltwisted; or bntsouasrto dispose their side edgesrupwardlyrwliereby uthe ears are reinforced to prevent bmkin nef ethic {upper-arm17:1 wAs illustrated: dmtFhg. 2,'lthe inner edgesvoflthespacetgiipertur'ed causes are flush withuthewinneri acenofithearm :17and the outendge's ofisaid ears am arranged outzwardlybf the outemfaceof the arm and in parallel i relation .to. the same The ends of tllerearsilil a e formed] integral [with a lon 'tudi'nally curvedupstanding "flange 1 r w ic erves as i an efi cienti means i'strengthenin andireinforcingi said ears. The n stringing -flaln e. ;l9K';is,'iof course, form integral with thaarini 7 i andxt nds t v r ly-0mmsame i Thelowcr armdB has its forward-end p rtion him-sated to provide apair of cars 23 which are arranged I e' p oed paral elir et on enclavenrovi t p rt resfltadap eql tor-the recepti pf a pivot bolt 25egctended,thmflgh the rear .end portion. ofithe .leaf spring .9, in the casemfthe ears.-19,'tl1,e'eais,23,.ere twisted t to t g d i for th im onnetion h he a ia ent n rtic of th qwcrarm 18. The ears1 23 alsostrengthened-and aeinforced by "a transversel-ymextending a stan ingflangelllfl With :reference to. Big l ,it willbo. noted that the upperarm 17 as its cars 19 arranged in advance of the ears 23 whereby thebowed portion 16 of the shock absorber is extended downwardly forarranging the entire device at an angle of about 45. As is the case inmost motor vehicles employing semi-elliptical front springs, the pivotbolt e a ln rai qfl ruc iomt itheupr I 25 of the leaf spring is disposeddirectly beneath or in the vertical plane of the pivot bolt 21 and isconnected to the same by a.

be made as will remain within the spirit of conventional linl; shackle.In arrzn'iging the shock absorber at an inclination of :ipproxi' matel,Ithe same is prevented from contacting with the under side oi thechassis when the leaf spring is moved u iwardly upon the engagement ofthe frontwheels '26 with an inequality in the road. Also in urrangingthe device in an inclined position, the spring upon being moved upwardlyis free to assume its extended position zis clearly illustrated indotted lines in Fig. l.

: In addition to partaking of a slight vertical movement during theaction. of the leaf spring,i.the lower arm-18 ofzthe shoek ab sorherpartakes of a slight rearward movement and therefore permits the springto romdily assume the position illustratedin dotted linesin Fig. 1. i

In the .form of the inventionillustrated in Fig. 3 the upper arm?! isprovided with la pair'of upwardly extending .spneed par-.allel-apertured ears 2 whiol'i ar'e adapted to be arr-fin ed onopposite' sides of the sijde bars 7 b? the chassis. The 'ap'ertured ears2'5 are connected by 'a pivot'-bolt=28 to the side bar"? and in thismennendispnsewwith thebracket-22 I As illustriited in the severil figiresqmd speeifica lly lnl ig. 1'," it will' he noted-Unit the lowerairm'18 has its forward en- 1: portion extended inwardly in the direction ofnoted that the howed portion ltiof the shock -:i-bsorber"is disposedbelow -the" pivots-ls ments at the f'or'ward en'ds (pf-the arm and bythis eonstruetion the semi-elliptieal1enf springi's 'permitted to morefreely yield under strain;

In the p'raetie'e of the invention. the semiellipticail spring ismovedupwnrdly when the front wheels encounter'an inequality in the roadand simultaneously with the 'u'pward movement of the spring, the same isextended to the" dotted line position"il li istinted in Fig. l. Thelower arm 18 of the shock absorber is accordingly"moved nowardly andre'arwardly and alleviates to an appreciable extent the shook andvibration on a machine and the occupants of the same.

It is to he understood that the 'forms of the invention herewith shownand described are to be taken asprel'erred embodiments of the same andthat sueh minor changes may the invention and the scope of what isclaimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A shock absorberincluding a pair of spring 'ar'rns having their rearend portions connected, =.said urins being of unequal lengths and havingtheir forward end portions provided with means for connection withverticnflly spaced pivots whereby said .springznrms are inclineddownwardly from theipivot points when-attached.

Qn'lhe'combination with relatively stationery-and=a'esilient bodieshaving pivot elementsmoiunz'illy disposed in the same vertical plane/nofa shock 'absorber arrainged between said stationary and resilientbodies and'apronided-witlzi'i upper and lower arms,

the forwiurd endportions of said arms being I le'oimmn'rliziieture, ashock :ihsorben fii'rchid'ing' a pair of flat-spring arms. pairs ofspaced-ems fionnediinategral with said wrms and hi-u'irrg therr ihneiedges :flush witli'the' inner faces of said arms and their onter e'clges'disposecl ontvi'nrdlvof and pa'ra llel'to the outer 'iiieesbf 'saidarms :T-fid each pair of wars being formed inlegrahfor strengthening andreinforcing: the sa ine.

-1. The 'eomhina tihn' with --relativel v ssiztionni'y and resilientlia.vin;rpivot 'Gl O-IT IGDFS TIOTIHQ lly'dlsposed' in the same vertical plzlne. of' t sliook'nhmrhr arranged la"- twe'en said sta tionarv andresilient lmfiiof; and pro\'i(le(l with upper and lower spring urms anda bowed connecting: portioni' th-r forward portions of s-(iidspring armslxisng: provided with aitaehing nnuins scoured to said vertically spacedivot elements, the bowed portion -ef'said shock absorber heingdisposed'helow the vertically'spaced' pivot elements so as to permit ofthe free movement of said" lower arm; said upper arm ill.- ing: ofgreater lengththim' said lower :irlh wherehy'dhe shockabsorlmr' isinclinci'l downwardly from said'stationary body.

In testimony: whereof I uliix my signature. WVIILLTE 'M; MCDOWELL. [11.s. i

